Washington’s Paid Sick Leave Law

Washington’s Paid Sick Leave law goes into effect on January 1, 2018. In general, the law applies to all non-exempt employees and all employers. Under the law, employees accrue 1 hour of paid time off for every 40 hours worked. The law includes a number of specific provisions regarding such issues as notice to employees, whether and how employers can request verification of the need for leave, and other topics. The law includes strict penalties for non-compliance and allows employees to file lawsuits for violations.

Even if you have a policy that provides at least 1 hour of paid time off for every 40 hours worked, you would be well-served to check out the new law and its specific requirements. Because the new law has required provisions such as notification requirements that you need to be aware of. Here is a link to a Fact Sheet put out by the Department of Labor & Industries that summarizes the new law. https://goo.gl/YW7XRi